Vancouver Canucks sign top NCAA free agent defenseman Akito Hirose

After signing one of the best college free-agent defensemen on Sunday, the Vancouver Canucks added one of the best blueliners to the stable.

The Canucks announced that defenseman Akito Hirose has signed a one-year entry-level contract, making him an RFA at the end of the season.

After receiving some attention last summer after a solid 26-point campaign, he upped it to 37 points while playing a key role again this season. That decision to go back for a third college season quickly made him one of the better free agent options, and there were a couple teams believed to be in the mix for Hirose’s services once Minnesota State University was eliminated from Frozen Four contention on Thursday.

Hirose’s speed, with and without the puck, is already NHL-level, and the offense has followed him throughout. Players that think and move like Hirose have good careers. He’s someone that could be a valuable, puck-moving defenseman with some second power-play line opportunities.

Akito is the younger brother of Taro Hirose, the Detroit Red Wings prospect that made noise as the most sought-after prospect following his third season at Michigan State in 2018-19. Taro hasn’t managed to carve out a full-time NHL role after a great initial 10-game stint after turning pro, but he has made a solid career out of being a valuable scoring forward with Grand Rapids.

The younger Hirose gives the Canucks some extra defensive depth moving forward. Quinn Hughes is the obvious No. 1 blueliner, but the team acquired Filip Hronek from Detroit ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline and he has already made an impact. Hirose won’t be a top-pairing option for the Canucks, but his competency as a two-way blueliner makes him valuable.